Canton, Scituate men killed fighting Boston blaze

BOSTON - Two Boston firefighters, both from the South Shore, were killed in a restaurant fire in a West Roxbury neighborhood.

The Patriot Ledger

Two Boston firefighters, both from the South Shore, were killed in a restaurant fire in a West Roxbury neighborhood.

Killed were Paul Cahill, of Scituate, and Warren Payne, of Canton, who served on Engine 30, Ladder 25, the first unit to respond to the Wednesday evening fire, said Fire Department spokesman Scott Salman.

Two other firefighters were critically injured after crews became disoriented in dense smoke and trapped in the fire, city officials said early today.

Salman said eight other firefighters had less serious injuries, and an EMS paramedic was being evaluated for chest pains.

Salman said the station Cahill and Payne served at was near the restaurant, and their unit was the first to respond to the fire.

“Tonight is a very sad night for the city of Boston,” Mayor Thomas Menino said. “Two of our bravest have lost their lives in a fire in West Roxbury. Our prayers and offers of help are extended to the families of those two firefighters and the other firefighters who were injured in the line of duty. This is a dangerous job, and these firefighters answered the call.”

At a late-night news conference the mayor and fire officials said both firefighters had two children and asked for prayers for the families.

The four-alarm fire started at about 9 p.m. in the Tai-Ho Mandarin and Cantonese restaurant and spread to an adjoining building in a one-story row of yellow-brick storefronts, where at least three other stores were damaged. The fire was put out within about an hour.

Fire Chief Kevin MacCurtain said the most seriously injured were members of the first crew that responded.

“When they arrived they had heavy fire in the Chinese restaurant with heavy smoke conditions on the block,” MacCurtain said. “They advanced their lines into the store, and they became trapped and they were disoriented and they couldn’t find their way out.”

He said that the fire department was conducting a full investigation. He said a 3-ton air conditioning unit partially crashed through the roof, but it was not clear if that played a role in the deaths and injuries.

He said officials do not believe the restaurant was open when the fire broke out.

Early Thursday, several blocks from the fire, the Engine 30, Ladder 25 firehouse was mostly dark, with a U.S. flag flying at half-staff in front of the building.

One block of Centre Street was closed as the sun rose over the blackened building. Several fire trucks and two cranes remained at the scene, as someone surveyed the damage from above.

Several other businesses were heavily damaged, including a flower shop, an art gallery and a pet grooming store.

A police station was at the end of the block, but was not affected by the fire.